friend Amy Leslie claimed that the change occurred when a careless attendant left Annie for forty minutes in a scalding bath at a celebrated health resort. And one family story suggests that, much like her sisters and brother, Annie was already turning gray-haired before the accident, which simply provided a good reason for her to stop disguising the truth.
Still, when Annie Oakley resumed shooting, she wore a curly brown wig to cover her white hair. Although several observers remarked that she looked young, blithe, and gay, times had definitely changed. On December 24, 1902, Nate Salsbury died at his home near Long Branch, New Jersey, and Cody took Bailey as his new partner. Cody's 1901 poster now seemed like a valedictory to Annie and a return to the Wild West less attractive to her than ever.
Beginning in late 1901 Annie gave exhibitions and shot in matches, starred in several plays, and reportedly rejected an offer from Cody to return to the Wild West. Several years later in 1909, Frank resigned his position with the Union Metallic Cartridge Company, and Annie agreed to make her arena comeback by appearing in Vernon Seavers's Young Buffalo Show between 1911 and 1913. Just as she had with Cody's Wild West, Annie shot, rode, and acted her way into the hearts of several generations of Americans.
During these years Annie and Frank followed their long-established and effective formula. Annie performed, still wearing long-skirted, fringed outfits and still stunning audiences of old and new fans by shooting down glass balls and smashing clay pigeons. Annie also mentored younger shooters; her protégé was Vernon Seavers, Jr., the eight-year-old son of her employer and billed as the "youngest cowboy in the world." And Annie continued her benevolence, including inviting orphans to attend performances as her guests.
Page 62
At the same time, Frank Butler managed Annie's act and wrote articles and press releases, which promoted the "real" wild West and its star, Annie Oakley. One perceptible difference was that Frank now allowed publicity agents and reporters to call Annie the "world champion" and "one of the highest salaried arenic attractions in the world." Another was that Frank permitted photographs of the young Annie Oakley of the 1880s and 1890s to appear beside the older, plumper Annie, accompanied by somewhat exaggerated tales of Annie's triumphs in the "old days.''
Always the consummate showpeople, Annie and Frank claimed that they were having an "enjoyable" time with the Young Buffalo Show and thought it a splendid representation of the Old West. They smiled their way through the 1911 season, traveling 8,226 miles. They rejoined the Young Buffalo Show again in 1912, despite its merger with the Colonel Fred Cummins Wild West and Indian Congress, which introduced fire-eaters, snake-tamers, and elephants into the arena. In addition to her other feats, Annie now twirled a lariat.
In 1913, Annie received the ultimate praise when the Greenville Courier urged every Darke County resident to attend the Young Buffalo Show to display "love" for Annie, one of "Our Own." In a gesture that in a sense brought her own life full circle Annie gave free tickets to occupants of the Darke County Children's Home. In the troupe's final performance on October 4, 1913, in Marion, Illinois, Annie Oakley made her last appearance in the arena. She and Frank intended to build a retirement home in Cambridge, Maryland, and enjoy their hard-won leisure.
It was in 1913, then, that Annie ended her career as a Wild West star and began to take her place in the chronicles of American show business. Between 1885 and 1913 she had carved herself a reputation as a superb performer and a distinguished personality. It was Annie's work in the arena, from Cody's Wild West to the Young Buffalo Show, that brought Annie more exposure and fame than she would gain from any of her other activities. Still, Annie Oakley's activities in the "show" business provide only a
Still, when Annie Oakley resumed shooting, she wore a curly brown wig to cover her white hair. Although several observers remarked that she looked young, blithe, and gay, times had definitely changed. On December 24, 1902, Nate Salsbury died at his home near Long Branch, New Jersey, and Cody took Bailey as his new partner. Cody's 1901 poster now seemed like a valedictory to Annie and a return to the Wild West less attractive to her than ever.
Beginning in late 1901 Annie gave exhibitions and shot in matches, starred in several plays, and reportedly rejected an offer from Cody to return to the Wild West. Several years later in 1909, Frank resigned his position with the Union Metallic Cartridge Company, and Annie agreed to make her arena comeback by appearing in Vernon Seavers's Young Buffalo Show between 1911 and 1913. Just as she had with Cody's Wild West, Annie shot, rode, and acted her way into the hearts of several generations of Americans.
During these years Annie and Frank followed their long-established and effective formula. Annie performed, still wearing long-skirted, fringed outfits and still stunning audiences of old and new fans by shooting down glass balls and smashing clay pigeons. Annie also mentored younger shooters; her protégé was Vernon Seavers, Jr., the eight-year-old son of her employer and billed as the "youngest cowboy in the world." And Annie continued her benevolence, including inviting orphans to attend performances as her guests.
Page 62
At the same time, Frank Butler managed Annie's act and wrote articles and press releases, which promoted the "real" wild West and its star, Annie Oakley. One perceptible difference was that Frank now allowed publicity agents and reporters to call Annie the "world champion" and "one of the highest salaried arenic attractions in the world." Another was that Frank permitted photographs of the young Annie Oakley of the 1880s and 1890s to appear beside the older, plumper Annie, accompanied by somewhat exaggerated tales of Annie's triumphs in the "old days.''
Always the consummate showpeople, Annie and Frank claimed that they were having an "enjoyable" time with the Young Buffalo Show and thought it a splendid representation of the Old West. They smiled their way through the 1911 season, traveling 8,226 miles. They rejoined the Young Buffalo Show again in 1912, despite its merger with the Colonel Fred Cummins Wild West and Indian Congress, which introduced fire-eaters, snake-tamers, and elephants into the arena. In addition to her other feats, Annie now twirled a lariat.
In 1913, Annie received the ultimate praise when the Greenville Courier urged every Darke County resident to attend the Young Buffalo Show to display "love" for Annie, one of "Our Own." In a gesture that in a sense brought her own life full circle Annie gave free tickets to occupants of the Darke County Children's Home. In the troupe's final performance on October 4, 1913, in Marion, Illinois, Annie Oakley made her last appearance in the arena. She and Frank intended to build a retirement home in Cambridge, Maryland, and enjoy their hard-won leisure.
It was in 1913, then, that Annie ended her career as a Wild West star and began to take her place in the chronicles of American show business. Between 1885 and 1913 she had carved herself a reputation as a superb performer and a distinguished personality. It was Annie's work in the arena, from Cody's Wild West to the Young Buffalo Show, that brought Annie more exposure and fame than she would gain from any of her other activities. Still, Annie Oakley's activities in the "show" business provide only a
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